Vehicle-gear



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. N. BROWN. 1

VEHICLE GEAR.

No. 391,684. Patented Oct 23, 1888.

, awe/whoa 98 @rbbo wm y (No'ModL) 2 Sheets-.-Sheet 2.

J. N. BROWN.

VEHICLE GEAR. No. 391,684. Patented Oct. 23, 188B.

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iisirrnn STATES JOHN N. BROWN, OF NEWV LONDON, CONNECTICUT.

VEHICLE-GEAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 391,68 dated October 23, 1888.

Application lilod June 8, 1887. Serial No.210,625.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN N. BROWN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Lon don, in the county of New London and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Vehicle-Gears, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in vehicle-gears; and it consists in the peculiar construction of devices,that will be more fully set forth hereinafter,and particularly pointed out in claim.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective View ofa vehicle-gear embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the front axle and the spring connected thereto. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is a modification of the axle. Fig. 5 is a perspective View of'a modified form of my vehiclegear.

A represents a crank-axle, which is made of iron, steel, or other suitable material. The main body a of the axle, is curved to one side, as shown, the shanks b, which project from the ends of the body portions thereof, are arranged in line with each other, and from the outer ends of the said shanks project the axle- On the under sides of the shanks Zr, and near the outer ends thereof, are formed depending ears or offsets d, and transverse openings 6 are made through the said ears or offsets. Both the front and the rear axles are constructed alike, and the curved portions of the said axle extend toward each other.

B represents a pair of semi-elliptic springs, each of which is attached to one of the axles by means of links C, which are pivoted to the outer ends of the springs by means of bolts E.

The ends of the semi-elliptic springs are thus suspended below the shanks of the axles, so that the weight of the body of the vehicle, which is borne by the springs, is applied directly to the shanks of the axles near the wheels. Another advantage gain bythus suspending the ends of the springs below the axles is that the links permit the springs to swing longitudinally, and thus impart an easy lateral swing to the body of the vehicle when the latter is in motion. To the central portion of the spring, which is attached to the front axle, and on the upper side of the said (No model.)

spring,is secured the lower member of a fii'tlr wheel, F, by means of clips or bolts G. The upper member of the fifth-wheel is bolted or clipped to the center andon the lower side of a spring I'I. A similar spring H is secured to the upper side of the spring B, attached to the rear axle, a bolster-block, I, being interposed between the rear spring B and its upper spring H.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the front axle has its spring 13 pivotally connected to the front upper spring H, and that the fifth-wheel connecting the said front springs B and H is attached directly in line with the spindles of the front axle.

K represents side bars, which are attached to and connect the ends of the top springs H, and thus form a support for the body of the vehicle in the usualmanner.

The top springs H, in connection with the lower springs B, attached directly to the axles, give an extremely easy and pleasant motion to the body of the vehicle.

In Fig. 4. I illustrate a modified form of my axle, in which the same has its central or body portion split longitudinally and bowed upon opposite sides of the spring, thus balancing the axle and causing it to bear with equal weight on the front and rear sides of the spring, and thus freeing the latter entirely from torsional strain.

In Fig. 5 I illustrate a modified form of my vehicle-gear adapted for business, toe-board, farm, and cheap wagons. In this gear I dispense with the top springs H and the side bars and substitute bolsters L for the said top springs, the said bolsters being adapted to be secured to the under side of the body. The block I should have the same'height between the rear springs as the fifth-wheel has between the front springs, so that the frame composed of the springs H and side bars K will stand level. By having the springs connected to the axles near the spindles and below the latter, the downward pressure comes on the spindles nearest the wheels and the wagon-body is lowered so that the lateral sway of the load is reduced.

I am aware that it is old to attach the ends of a semi-elliptic spring to the straight shanks of a cranked axle. This is more clearly seen in the Burch patent, No. 356,821, and patent of Kelley, No. 322,109. In each of these patcuts the links swing from the top of the axle, whilejn my invention the links swing from the under side thereof. In view of the fact that the links in the patents referred to are hung from the top of the axle it is necessary to use very long links, which cause the body to swing too much from side to side. I propose to avoid this objection by providing ears on the under side of the shanks of the axle and perforating said ears for the passage of bolts, which serve to pivot the upper ends of the links to the ears, thereby making a simple, strong connection, and at the same time enabling short links to be used.

Having thus described my invention, I claim The cranked axle A, having the shanks 1) arranged in line with each other, the said shanks having the ears'd on their under side, which ears are perforated, the spring B, the links 0, pivoted at their lower ends to the outer end of the spring B,and bolts E,passed through the upper ends of the links and through the perforations of the ears d, to pivot said links to the under side of the shanks, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN N. BROWN.

' Witnesses:

J OSEPH Wmsonnve, ARTHUR GATES. 

